Mary Jacobson, prosecuting, said: "The victim is a radio broadcaster in national radio, she is a well known public figure.

"Out of the blue on the 24 June, she received an envelope in the post which was addressed in capital letters in felt tip, she recognised the wording from a letter she had received at work the previous year.

PA:Press Association

Cox was said to have been left 'scared and extremely concerned' by the letters

Rex Features

Collins was also handed a restraining order banning him from contacting the Radio 2 DJ

"She was extremely concerned and informed her work place. That envelope contained two letters in capital letters in different coloured felt tip pen they told her about himself and his feelings for her."

One letter read: "I am poor, on DWP, and live in a poor bedsit for poor people, I am unhappy.

"I apologise for writing to your home address. I got it for £17 the internet."

In the letter, which had writing on both sides, Collins wrote: "My name is Tony Collins, I am tall and have green eyes.

"I know you are married to Ben, I am unsuccessful in my life.

"You care a lot about people because it is in your nature, do not feel sorry for me Sara.

"Sara you are a lovely human being, sexy, attractive and an all round fantastic human being."

Mrs Jacobson added: "He said 'Sara I like dogs and horses and referred to her dog by name and to horses being psychic and feeling our feelings.'

"Also in the envelope was a passport sized photo of the defendant.

"He said he had done his research online by himself."

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Collins was jailed at Maidstone Crown Court

She added: "On February 7 this year Ben Cyzer was at work when an envelope was delivered to him, that envelope contained a diagram in felt tip of a cancer diagram.

"She was immediately much more scared and the matter was reported to the police the next day."

Three days after the letter was delivered to Ben Cyzer, Collins was arrested at his home in Chatham, Kent, where police found a Google Map print out showing directions to Ms Cox's sister's address.

They also discovered 11 indecent images of children, some as young as four in sexual poses.

At an earlier hearing Collins admitted harassment without violence, two counts of possessing indecent images of a child and two counts of making indecent images of a child.

He was also given a restraining order preventing him from going to Ms Cox's home, her workplace, her husband's workplace and the DJ's sister's home address.

Judge Joy said: "You wanted to be a deviant, quite plainly you have a preference for girls who are very young and doctors have come to the conclusion that there is no evidence that you have an acute mental illness, that you do manifest a personality disorder.

"It is quite clear you have an obsessive personality."

Collins has eight convictions for 13 offences dating back to 1991 including harassment and breaches of restraining orders.